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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/29): Matthew 5:38-48.

Sep29

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 6:44

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REVIEW – Jesus has been comparing the Law and the teachings of the religious leaders to the principles of the kingdom of heaven. He taught how God’s rule on telling the truth when making a vow, and promptly fulfilling it, applies to all our promises. Don’t try to impress others by vowing extraordinary things. Don’t be known as procrastinators. Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain. Instead, let your promises be YES, I will do it, or NO, I can’t do it right now. Yes or No; nothing more. Then follow through if it’s a yes.

(NOTE: After yesterday’s post, I was convicted about a particular “vow” (promise) that I often fail to keep. When someone tells me of a struggle or sad situation they are dealing with, I often respond, “I’ll pray for you.” But then I don’t. I forget. It would have been better for me NOT to have promised (vowed).

So now, I will try to either stop right then and pray for the person or situation before we part, or I will write it somewhere (phone, notepad, palm of my hand) to remind me at my prayer time. Please, LORD, help me to be more faithful in keeping my vows to others and to You.)

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Matthew 6:38-42.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth…'”

Yes, that IS in the Bible. It’s in Exodus 21:24, and it includes WAY more than eyes and teeth.

“…if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”

Leviticus 21:24 adds “fracture for fracture” and says this law applied to Israelites as well as other peoples living in their land.

WOW!!

BUT… the whole point is NOT personal retaliation. It’s judgment on an offense, ruled by a judge. Not by an individual, and not in the heat of the moment. It was for the protection of the injured, sort of an insurance policy. It was also a pretty good deterrent.

But what this law in Moses’ time REALLY accomplished was EQUAL punishment for the crime. A person who knocked out a tooth might lose a tooth too, but they were not to lose their life. And not everyone else in their family was to lose a tooth. The person guilty would receive just punishment, and then it was DONE.

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But what about Jesus’s words? “But I say to you, ‘Do not RESIST the one who is evil.”

This is about personal retaliation. It is NOT about a criminal offense or a military aggression. And it ties in with what Jesus will say next about loving your enemy. It is how a citizen of the kingdom of heaven, having the “attitudes” Jesus first explained, would respond to personal injustice.

“But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. (Didn’t Jesus do this with Pilate’s soldiers?)

“And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

“And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. (Think of Simon who was forced to carry the cross for Jesus.)

“Give to the one who begs from you, and “do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

Give up your personal rights (and/or your possessions) for the sake of the kingdom. Why? WHY should we do this???

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Matthew 6:43-48.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'”

“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”

“You therefore must be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

WHOA! No way!!

But Jesus says, ‘Yes, way.’

Because even “tax collectors” (the worst people in the view of a pious Pharisee), even THEY love the neighbors who love them back. And yes, because even Gentiles (looked down on by ALL Jews) greet only their brothers and not others.

Jesus is telling His listeners on that mountainside that THEY (if they are to be citizens of His kingdom) must be different. Other people should be able to SEE the difference in them (like a city on a hill). They are to be like sons of their Father in heaven. They are to be PERFECT as their Heavenly Father.

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It’s impossible, you say. I say that too! We can never do all that Jesus says people of His kingdom do. We are sinners, imperfect, and on our best day, we are sinful enough to send us straight to hell.

So what are we to do? How are we to take Jesus’ words?

Little by little, Jesus is showing them (and us) that we CANNOT be perfect. We cannot even be good. We are sinners. It’s why we need Jesus, why He came.

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As these Jewish people knew so well from the Law, the only way anyone could approach a holy God was with a sacrifice; a substitute; that would die in their place after they symbolically laid their hands (and their sins) on its head before killing it.

Were they perfect? No. But when the holy God saw the blood of the lamb covering their sin, they could approach Him.

Jesus was showing them that picture, one step at a time. First, their sin and inability to be perfect; then that HE would BE the (only) way they could approach their Heavenly Father.

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“For our sake, God made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/28): Matthew 5:33-37.

Sep28

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“.” Matthew

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REVIEW – Last time, Jesus taught about adultery and divorce in His kingdom of heaven, where humility, gentleness, mercy, and purity of heart should be found. Betrayal in the form of unfaithfulness should be the ONLY reason for divorce, and even then, it would be better to confess your sins to one another (James 5:16), forgive, and be reconciled.

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Matthew 6:33-36.

“You’ve heard it said by those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn‘.” (See Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2, and Deuteronomy 23:21, 23.)

In other words, if you make a vow to God or to another person, fulfill it quickly and completely. That’s pretty easy to understand. If you say you will do something, do it. Be honest and honorable.

Now you may have been “less than honest” in the past, so others no longer believe your promises. What are you to do?

In this case, Jesus says not to multiply your sins. “Do not take an oath, either by heaven or the earth, or by Jerusalem.” (to make it sound like you are really, REALLY sincere this time) For these are holy to God. Instead of making your vow or promise more sure, you are profaning the things of God.

(Isaiah 66:1 quotes the LORD saying, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” Psalm 48:2 says that Jerusalem is “the city of the Great King,” referring to God, not David.)

Jesus says you aren’t even to swear “by your head,” for you can’t make one hair white or black. (Well, today, you CAN by using hair dye, but He means that when you swear, you can’t.)

And no one will believe you more if you “swear by your grandmother’s grave,” or your “class ring,” or by “crossing your heart,” or by “linking pinkie fingers.”

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Matthew 5:37.

So what is the solution for someone who sincerely wants to live in the light of the kingdom of heaven?

Jesus makes it simple. Just say “Yes.” Or “No.” And mean it. “Anything more than this comes from evil. (the evil one).

Start now; it may take a while for others to believe your promises. Like the LORD, your word should be true. Always.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/25): Matthew 5:27-32.

Sep25

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“But I say to you….” Matthew 5:28a

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REVIEW – Last time, Jesus began a series of “heart understandings” about the Law. The overt action may be murder, but in the heart and the mouth is where it begins. Anger, insults, and degrading name calling is just the beginning. Jesus said these are just as worthy of judgment as the final act of murder.

HIS followers are to go and reconcile with the offended person before doing anything else. Only then can the law “clean” us to worship our holy God. He warned if we don’t come to terms with the other fellow (or gal), things will get very, very bad.

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Matthew 5:27-30.

As before, Jesus first calls their attention to the Law. “You have heard that it was said…” reminding them of the 8th commandment. (Exodus 20:14) “You shall not commit adultery.”

That’s pretty clear.

But once again, Jesus tells them, that this gross sin begins inside of us with the eyes and the mind (imagination). Inside, where no one else can see or condemn… except God.

“But I say to you… everyone who LOOKS at a woman (or man) (and this could also include pornography) with LUSTFUL INTENT has already committed adultery in his heart.”

A look, an imagining of sexual delight…or violence…and the sin is committed. The thought, the continual contemplating and adding to the scenario, is as the deed. Wow. And the longer it goes on, the worse it gets. Yes, you know it. Eventually the deed WILL be done, or at least attempted (with that person, or another one).

How serious does Jesus take this?

VERY!

He says if you find yourself looking with lustful delight, causing you to sin … gouge out your eye!!!

Now that is serious!

(And, if it keeps happening with the other eye, I think He might say, gouge that one out too!) What is being blind compared to being separated from the Holy God?

SIN IS SERIOUS. It is an affront to God. ESPECIALLY for a believer, a follower of Jesus.

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.“ 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

Jesus carries the remedy further with, “And if your right (dominant) hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to lose your members than your whole body … and go into hell.”

I believe Jesus could also mean by your ‘right hand’, that you are to eliminate every sinful deed you are prone to do or accomplish. It’s not just a leud man patting or pinching a woman’s bottom at the office. The “right” or dominate hand represents your strength. Cut it off if it causes you to sin!

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Matthew 5:31-32.

“It was also said,” (Jesus continues) “whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.”

God gave this provision to Israel for the welfare of women.

Husbands who no longer wanted their wives – for some little thing they did or didn’t do, or because the man had lusted after another, younger, prettier woman – could just kick them out to manage on their own. Often their father would not accept them back into the family house, and without resources, they would eventually die or become a prostitute.

To save them from this, Moses required unhappy husbands to write their wives a certificate of divorce. That way, she could legally become the wife of another man. It was a concession, and NOT God’s perfect plan. But it rescued the unwanted wives.

But notice Jesus’s heart-understanding of this concession. “But I say to you, that every man who divorces his wife – except on the ground of sexual immorality – makes her commit adultery.” (either by prostitution or marrying another man while still married to the unhappy one). A man was not to simply “divorce” his wife for every little thing that bothered him, or even something big. Reconciliation is always the first step.

It’s God’s way. After man sinned in the garden of Eden, God could have thrown us away and created a new world. But no, He provided a way (Jesus’ death) that we could be reconciled to Him.

Our Lord is so kind. For women (or men) today, this means that if divorce occurs because of unreconciled unfaithfulness (the first option is always to seek reconciliation, as with the first of Jesus’ saying about someone offending you), the divorced one is free to marry again.

It’s NOT God’s perfect way. There will be complications with possessions, finances, and the children (who are often hurt most). But God’s heart of love, SO loves His children, that He allows this, though I believe every divorce grieves Him.

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.Do you wonder, like me, how the people on the hillside received Jesus’ words. Were they confused, perplexed? Did the more learned of them go back in their minds to see the Torah’s writing, and nod at this new wisdom? Was there fear, or joy, in their heart? Did they now long for the kingdom of heaven this Jesus was preaching?

Or was that first stirring of disappointment rising. Reconciling? Sexual purity? What did that have to do with the Messiah freeing them from Rome?

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.(NOTE: for those who read my closing thought yesterday, yes I did go to my husband, confess my offense, and ask forgiveness. And he gladly, quickly, forgave me. What a relief! And my prayers to God came so much easier afterward! Thank You, Jesus. Your heart-teaching is what we need every day.)

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/24): Matthew 5:17-26.

Sep24

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:20

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REVIEW – True disciples of Jesus are “salt” and “light” to the world. Our manner of life, our “attitudes,” and our testimonies should cause others to thirst for Jesus. And by not hiding our faith, either in the world or in our families, we can show others how to find Him.

It’s not that His followers SHOULD BE salt and light; we ARE salt and light. So let’s allow Him to shake us out of our comfort zones, remove our timidness and fears, and change us into bold witnesses for Him.

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Matthew 5:17-20.

The Law.

Does Jesus teach “the Law”?

Now that the Messiah has come, do we ignore the Law?

What was/is the purpose of the law then, and now?

Right off, Jesus makes one thing clear to His listeners. He has NOT come to abolish (get rid of, or nullify) the Law.

Jesus said, “I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill the Law. Truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one ‘jot or tittle’ will pass from the Law until ALL is accomplished.”

NOTE: Jots and tittles were the tiny marks that made up the Hebrew letters (like the dots over the i’s and j’s, and the crossing of the t’s in English).

Jesus fulfilled the “moral law” by keeping it perfectly.

Jesus fulfilled the “ceremonial law” by being everything the types and symbols pointed to.

And Jesus fulfilled the “judicial law” by exhibiting God’s perfect justice and ‘paying the wages’ of OUR sin on the cross.

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“Therefore, whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be called ‘least’ in the kingdom…” and “…whoever does and teaches them will be called ‘great’…”

Don’t ignore God’s law: obey it humbly, and teach it rightly.

And then that shocker!

‘Unless YOUR righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will NEVER enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The people saw and heard the religious leaders brag about keeping the last speck of the law (no, going over and beyond it!), and how they paraded their good deeds before all the ‘lesser’ people, even thanking God that THEY were not like those nobodies. How could anyone keep the law better than they?

Jesus saw right through the Pharisees’ shiny facade to the filth and defilement (pride, greed, hate) in their hearts. He would later call them out, comparing them to ‘whitewashed tombs’. No, the people of HIS kingdom were to exhibit true righteousness, which comes from acknowledgment of sin and godly repentance.

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Matthew 5:21-26.

‘You have heard that it was said…”

And now Jesus begins a section of “explaining” the heart and truth of the Law – those parts of God’s word that the Pharisees didn’t “get.” He begins the next six sections in Matthew five with these or similar words, then gives the text from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.

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“…You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.” (Exodus 20:13)

Then, Jesus goes deeper into God’s law, revealing the heart attitudes that come BEFORE the act of murder.

“But I say to you that everyone who is ANGRY with his brother… whoever INSULTS his brother… whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to judgment, and… even the hell of fire.

WOW! Why?

Because those are “murder” in your heart and mouth. It just hasn’t come out in actions.

How often have I been angry with a loved one, insulted them, or called them offensive names!!! Jesus says these are worthy of judgment as much as murder. HIS kingdom is one of meekness, mercy, purity of heart, and a desire to reconcile with others. THIS is the heart of God behind the law.

So what is Jesus’ resolution to these angry attitudes towards others?

Don’t keep on going like nothing is wrong while you seethe inside (or perhaps plot violence!).

Jesus says to “reconcile with your brother and quickly come to terms with your accuser,” and only THEN can you come before Him with a “pure heart” and make your offerings. He will accept them now.

And you won’t end up in the hangman’s noose or in prison with a life sentence.

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(Oh, boy, has this smacked me in the face! I was recently very angry with my husband. I insulted him and called him a fool, in so many words. It has weighed heavily on my conscience. THIS is NOT how I must live in Jesus’ kingdom. Today, when he returns from work, I will apologize, ask for his forgiveness, and reconcile with him. And THEN I will go to my Heavenly Father and do the same.)

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/22): Matthew 5:1-12.

Sep22

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“And He opened His mouth and taught them.” Matthew 5:2

NOTE: I’m sorry this is late to post. My Internet was down for most of the day.

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REVIEW – Last time, we saw an overview of Jesus’ beginning ministry. He was teaching, preaching, and healing all who came to Him – huge masses of hurting, needy people from all over the area. He taught in synagogues, in the streets, from boats, and on hillsides. He offered hope for healing and health. He also offered hope of heaven. How many saw that? How many received it?

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Matthew 5:1-2.

“Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain…”

Perhaps Jesus wanted to escape the masses who only sought relief from their pain and discomfort. Maybe He wanted to speak more closely to those who heard Him talk of heaven and a kingdom beyond the here and now, and wanted more.

“…and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.”

“To see a rabbi “sit down” meant that He was about to teach. Our teachers usually stand in front of a class, but Jewish teachers sat. “Students” would then gather around Him to listen, and possibly ask questions. For Jesus, this was like a “Closed until 2:00pm” sign on the doctor’s office door. He would “see” patients later.

There were many “followers” (disciples, if you will) at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Most were superficial, and we’ll see Jesus eliminate the insincere with probing questions (See Luke 14 and Mark 10) and later with His “hard teachings”. (See John 6)

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Matthew 5:3-10.

We know this section as the “Beatitudes.” (The be-attitudes; the attitudes for Christians to have and exhibit.) I had to memorize them as a child in Sunday School. I even learned how to sing them. But how well do I know them as Jesus meant? How many of them do others (or Jesus) see in my life?

“Blessed are…” The word means “happy, fortunate, blissful.” Jesus was describing the “well-being” that belongs only to the faithful. This is entirely different from the world’s happiness, which comes (fleetingly) from riches, fame, power, and leisure, etc.

Jesus shows us eight (or nine) of these things that cause blessedness for believers, but which totally boggle the minds of unbelievers.

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“…the poor in spirit,” Humility, spiritual bankruptcy. To be ‘poor in spirit’ means to be acutely aware that you are lost and hopeless apart from God’s grace. THIS is how we first come to Jesus, acknowledging our sin and helplessness to save ourselves, looking to Him as the only way to salvation and eternal life. “…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Yep, that’s the way to get in!)

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“…those who mourn,” This is the “godly sorrow” a true seeker of God experiences. It’s a real sorrow that leads to repentance without regret. (2 Corinthians 7:10) When a fresh believer is on their knees (or face) before God, weeping over past sins, they will soon sense true forgiveness flooding their soul. “…for they shall be comforted.”

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“…the meek,” This is not weakness or timidity, but gentleness and Spirit-empowered self-control. Jesus claimed that HE was gentle (meek) and lowly in heart (See Matthew 11:29), and yet He made a whip and drove out merchants and moneychangers from the Temple.

(Take a few minutes here to read Psalm 37:1-11. It describes how to become a “meek” believer.) Yes, the Lord will give you the desires of your heart, because your heart is His. “…they shall inherit the earth.” And the Psalms passage adds, “…and delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”

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“…those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.” This means seeking God and HIS righteousness, and NOT trying to be good or do good things in our own strength (which is impossible anyway for more than a few minutes). Self-righteousness was the main problem of the Pharisees in Jesus’ time. They thought they needed nothing but their own knowledge and willpower to stand righteous before God.

Remember the parable Jesus told about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector? WHO was the one righteous in God’s sight? Not the one who bragged of all his good deeds, but the one in his poverty, confessed his sin and begged for mercy. Jesus said, HE went away “justified” or “righteous” in God’s sight. I know his heart was filled with joy as he rose from his knees and went home. “…for they shall be satisfied.”

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“…the merciful.” These are the people who consistantly give others “a second chance,” who “give others the benefit of the doubt,” and who, by remembering the rich mercy with which God loved and saved them… easily and generously give it to others. James 2:13 tells us that “judgment is without mercy for those who show no mercy.” So lets direct our hearts always to the tender mercies we received and can give out. “…for they shall receive mercy.”

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“…the pure in heart.” Wow, this certainly can’t be accomplished in our own strength. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can understand it?” Jesus taught that all the wicked things that come out of our mouths originate in our hearts. PURE in heart? Who can do it? No one. Only Christ. He has promised that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” (1John1:9) Praise God.

“…for they shall see God. And truly, THESE are the only ones who will SEE God.

Revelation 22:3-4 says, “No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it (New Jerusalem), and His servants will worship Him. They will see His face... “

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“…the peacemakers.” We know who these rare people are. They are filled with the “wisdom from above, which is pure, peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. They sow peace and receive a harvest of righteousness.” (James 3:17-18). These are those who love their enemies and pray for them. And “…they shall be called sons of God.” Why? Because Jesus, God’s Son, made peace between His Father and us by His blood on the cross.

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“…those who are persecuted for righteousness sake.” Whoa, that doesn’t sound right. This is not persecution because we are fools or sinners or do stupid things. The persecution here is for Christ’s sake, because we are one of His, because His life and light show out from us to a dark world. Those in darkness do NOT like light and try to extinguish it. We may be martyred, but Jesus promises we will be with Him in glory. “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

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And then, it’s as though Jesus turns from those sitting all around Him on that hillside, and looks straight out at US. You and me.

And He says, “Blessed are YOU when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely ON MY ACCOUNT. Rejoice and be glad, for YOUR reward is in heaven…”

He repeats the previous beatitude, making it personal to us. Then it seems He speaks to US as well as to the crowd of followers around Him.

“…for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Believers who love and follow Jesus, we are in good company! And one day we will stand with those prophets we read about in the Old Testament and receive the rewards Jesus spoke of. AND… a crown of life.

Persevere!

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/21): Matthew 4:23-25.

Sep21

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching… and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom…. and healing…” Matthew 4:24.

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REVIEW – Jesus called four men – Peter and Andrew, James and John – to leave their boats, nets, and fishing occupation to follow Him and become “fishers of men.” They did not hesitate.

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.Matthew 4:23.

Jesus’ ministry begins almost as a whirlwind throughout all Galilee. He taught in their synagogues, proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom on hillsides and at every opportunity, and He healed every disease and affliction among the people.

WOW.

Each sabbath in the synagogues, a certain passage from the Law, Prophets, or Psalms was read and taught. When Jesus attended, He taught them with authority rather than quoting the opinions of Rabbis or traditions. The people were amazed. (See Matthew 7:28-29)

Jesus would also proclaim the kingdom of heaven: that God was near, that people should repent and turn to Him, and live a life of humility, mercy, service, and sacrifice (see the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ to follow).

Jesus “healed EVERY disease and affliction among the people.” This was not only a show of mercy, but it confirmed His claim to be the Messiah. (See Isaiah verses below.)

Isaiah 35:5-6 says, “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”

And Isaiah 29:18-19. “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see.“

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Matthew 4:24.

“So His fame spread throughout all Syria.”

Whoa, I had to look this up. On most maps, Syria is a huge country north and east of Israel. Nowhere in the gospels does it say Jesus went there. (Yes, He did visit a Syro-Phoenician woman near coastal Tyre & Sidon to heal her sick daughter.) So, how did the people of “Syria” hear and bring Jesus their sick?

On a map that shows the territories of the Herods during Jesus’ early years, we see that Herod Philip ruled north of Galilee, Herod Antipas ruled Galilee, and Archelaus, then the Roman governors, ruled Judea and Idumea (south). But right in the middle, at the bottom edge of the Sea of Galilee and below, across the Jordan River, there was a section granted by Caesar Augustus to “the Province of Syria.” And also a small section over near the Mediterranean Sea by Mount Carmel.

Huh! Well, God’s word is never wrong. History and archaeology just take time to catch up.

And notice there was no limit to Jesus’ compassion and power. “They brought Him ALL the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, AND HE HEALED THEM ALL.”

(NOTE: Some say that by the time Jesus went to the cross, there was no sickness or disease at all in Israel. Quite a thought. If so, that would be quite a preview of the Millennial Kingdom!)

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Matthew 4:25.

Was it because of Jesus’ healings that the “great crowds” of people from all the areas around Galilee, down to Judea and Jerusalem, and even across the Jordan River flocked to Him?

Masses of people came, hobbling, being led, or bringing loved ones who needed to be carried (or corralled). They clogged the streets, pressing, pulling, and pressuring Jesus from all sides.

Did none come to hear his life-giving words?

Did none stay to sit at His feet, listen, and believe what He said?

Some.

A few.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/18): Matthew 4:18-22.

Sep18

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.” Matthew 4:20

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REVIEW – After hearing that John had been arrested by Herod, Jesus left Judea and returned to the area of Galilee, which fulfilled two prophecies in Isaiah. Jesus WAS that “great Light” that “had begun shining” and “had dawned in a region and shadow of death.” There, Jesus began His ministry, preaching “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

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Matthew 4:18-20.

Jesus was now living in Capernaum, at the Sea of Galilee. It was time to begin calling and choosing the men who would follow Him, learn from Him, and one day preach the Gospel of His life, death, and resurrection to the world.

It began on a normal, sunny workday down at the docks. As Jesus walked by the Sea, He saw two brothers casting their nets into the water, trying to catch fish – Simon Peter and Andrew. These were men chosen from before the foundation of the world to be among the first ambassadors for the Messiah.

Jesus raised an arm in greeting and called, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of MEN.”

Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. Wow.

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Matthew 4:21-22.

Going a bit farther, Jesus saw two more brothers, the sons of Zebedee, whom He would later name “the sons of thunder” for their hot tempers and demands for justice. James and John were mending some of their nets along with their father – a very boring but needful job. Again Jesus hailed them with the same invitation.

And immediately THEY left their boat and their father and followed Him. Jesus now had four fishermen whom He would train over the next three years to “catch” and bring men into His kingdom.

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Did you wonder with me how these men, busy with the tasks they had done for years to support their families, could just get up, walk away from it all, and follow Jesus?

What did Zebedee think? (Hey! Where are you going? What about these nets!) And Andrew and Peter’s hired hands, did they simply carry on without the two brothers? Did they all wonder WHO in the world was this guy, who, like a Pied Piper, had called and evoked such immediate responses?

Let’s take a step back to the reading of John’s gospel. These men had encountered Jesus before. Andrew, and perhaps Peter, were followers of John the Baptist. They left John to follow Jesus for a time, then returned to Capernaum. Now Jesus was calling them to long-term discipleship.

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(NOTE: This is certainly a clear lesson for me. Have I left all to follow Jesus? No, I’m not a missionary or an evangelist to leave my home and husband and travel the country or the world. But have I left the things in MY life that would keep me from wholehearted service and obedience to my Lord?

Busyness, crafts & hobbies, lunches and ‘coffee’ meetings, and adult learning or exercise classes at the YMCA; do these come first? Do I let gardening or reading that novel keep me from time in His Word and prayer, seeking His will for my life? Oh, that I would put Jesus on the throne of my life, and “immediately leave all to follow Him.”)

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/4): John 21:15-23.

Sep4

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“What is that to you? YOU follow me.” John 21:23.

REVIEW – Back in Galilee, seven of the disciples decide to go fishing – their OLD occupation – while they wait for Jesus. This effort yields zero fish. Then Jesus appears and basically tells them how to do their job. They obey, and this time the reward is a humongous catch of fish. (Lesson one: without Jesus, we can do nothing. But submit to Him, and our efforts will be fruitful, 30x, 60x, or even 100x.)

Jesus had prepared some bread and grilled fish for breakfast. He could have multiplied His small amount to feed them all, but He asked the disciples to bring some of the fish THEY had caught to the meal. He finished cooking them, broke the bread, and passed around this “familiar” meal. (Lesson two: Jesus can use whatever we willingly give Him to further His Kingdom and bless others.)

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John 31:15-17.

After breakfast, no one left the circle; instead, they turned toward Jesus, perhaps expecting Him to give them more instruction. They all learned something that morning; it’s true, but it was to Peter that Jesus directed His words.

“Simon, son of John (bar Jonah), do you love me MORE THAN THESE?” (Notice that Jesus uses Peter’s “old” name, meaning he was “walking in the flesh, not the spirit.” Peter remembered how he had at one time boasted that, “Though THEY ALL fall away because of you, I WILL NEVER fall away!” Matt.26:33)

“Yes, Lord, You know that I love you.” Did he feel the hot stares of the other disciples on him? Did he glance around at the other disciples for confirmation? All were silent. But they HAD heard.

Jesus didn’t contradict Peter; He instructed him, “Feed My lambs.” Peter’s mission was to care more for OTHERS than for himself.

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Then Jesus continued. “Simon, bar Jonah, do you love ME?”

“Yes, Lord, you know that I love you,” Peter said, perhaps more quietly. Was he remembering how he’d once, twice… three times denied Jesus? Swearing that he did not even KNOW his Lord? I can imagine Peter squeezing his eyes closed as tears began.

“Tend My sheep,” Jesus instructed, challenging Peter to be a good shepherd over those he would lead, as his Master was.

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And then, for the third time, came that stinging, probing question, “Simon bar Jonah, do you love me?”

Peter, grieved perhaps as much as when he’d heard the rooster crow and remembered Jesus’ dark prediction, may have fallen to his knees at this point. “Lord … You know everything! You KNOW that I love You!”

Peter’s true humility and sorrow for his denials are revealed. Jesus knew it, but now the other disciples had witnessed it. He grew tall again in their estimation, although he was bowed low at Jesus’ feet. The others could now trust him to lead them again.

I imagine Jesus gently smiling as he reached out and pulled Peter to his feet. “Feed my sheep.” And I imagine Peter nodded.

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John had now shown the THIRD thing he wanted to make clear in this “epilogue chapter” – Peter’s reinstatement into leadership. That done, he was ready for that pesky rumor. The FOURTH thing he needed to do was reveal how the rumor started, then refute it.

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John 31:18-23.

After Jesus finished calling out the veracity of Peter’s love, and seeing Peter humble himself for ready service, He led him apart for a different revelation. Best friend John followed quietly along.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, Peter, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

Jesus said this to show the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. (imprisonment and crucifixion – stretching out his hands)

Perhaps Peter was thinking about Jesus’ words to them in Matthew 16:24-28. Read them now as Peter might have been recalling them….

  • Matthew 16:24 – “Then Jesus told His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.
  • 16:25 – “For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
  • 16:26 – “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
  • 16:27 – “For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done,
  • AND THEN…..
  • 16:28 – “Truly I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Wait, what? What did Peter just remember???

Walking with Jesus on the beach of Galilee, after breakfast and a difficult but sweet time of restoration, Peter remembered THOSE WORDS?

He looks at John and says to Jesus, “Lord, what about THIS man?”

Oh, no, that not-so-friendly competition raises its head. If Peter is destined to die, crucified, what about John? Will he suffer that death too? Or will he be one of those who…?

Then Jesus speaks the words that someone heard and spread as a rumor. “If it is My will that he remain until I come…what is it to you? YOU follow me.”

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Of course, Jesus was not promising that His beloved disciple would live until He returned. Jesus’ point was for Peter to ‘mind his own business.’ Peter was to accomplish Jesus’ will for HIS life, and not look at others’. Keep your eyes on Jesus, Peter! Follow in His steps.

By telling how it started, John hoped to quell this rumor.

By the way, Peter lived 30 more years and was martyred in Rome by crucifixion, hanging upside down. John lived 60+ more years and suffered torture and exile. God preserved him to write the book of Revelation; then he died a natural death of old age.

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John 21:24-25.

John then attests to the fact that it is HE, JOHN, who has written this. He is a WITNESS of these things. That should settle it. And then, before he lays his quill down for the final time, John’s mind is filled with many, many other things he could write about Jesus. Then he “waxed poetic.”

“Were every one of the things that Jesus did to be written… I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.”

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“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.“

The famous last stanza of the classic Christian hymn The Love of God, written by Frederick M. Lehman in 1917.

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Next up, The Gospel of Matthew.

Reading the Gospels in 2026 (9/3): John 21:1-14.

Sep3

Read and Believe in Jesus.

“Simon Peter said to them, ‘I’m going fishing.'” John 21:3

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REVIEW – Chapter 20 ended with John’s reason for writing his Gospel, after three others had been written and after so many years had passed. His specific reason was that his readers would “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”

John included seven miracles that, to the Jewish mind, should have proved Jesus was the Messiah.

(Remember when John the Baptist sent his disciples with questions about Him? Jesus performed a series of healing miracles and attached a connecting scripture in Isaiah that pointed to Him as the Messiah.)

John also listed seven claims that Jesus made that He was the Son of God in His “I AM” statements.

Oh, the Jews knew exactly what He was saying, and finally killed Him for saying He was the Son of God. But still…they did not believe. (KNOWING and BELIEVING are two different things!)

John told readers at the beginning of his Gospel that Jesus’ own people wouldn’t receive Him, and then opened the door for ANYONE who would believe to come to Jesus.

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John 21:1-3.

Chapter 30 was originally the end of John’s Gospel until a rumor began circulating that “the beloved disciple” would not die until Jesus returned. (Not true.) So, John picked up his quill and wrote chapter 31.

It also gave him the opportunity to 1) tell of another appearance of Jesus, 2) show their impotence without the Lord, and 3) how Peter was reinstated into leadership after his three denials of Jesus. And finally, 4) to correct that rumor.

FIRST. Mark 16:7 tells us that while Mary Magdalene was running to tell Peter and John that the tomb was empty and Jesus’ body was stolen, two angels told the other women who had remained there that “Jesus had risen!”

They were also told, “Go. tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him, just as He told you.”

So after Jesus appeared twice to the group in Jerusalem, they obeyed and went back to Galilee, where Jesus had first called them. Only seven disciples were here at this appearance.

SECOND. After waiting and waiting, they began to feel a bit “antsy.” Finally, Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” And promptly the others agreed.

They climbed into the boat, so familiar from their old life, and pushed out into the sea. They threw the nets overboard and waited. They hauled them in and heaved them out again. NOT a sardine to be seen.

Finally, the sun began peeking over the horizon. Discouraged, tired, and hungry, they began hauling the heavy, wet nets into the boat. Done for the day. Nothing to show for all their work.

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John 31:4-8

And then a stranger called from the shore, “Children, do you have any fish?”

“No,” they called back.

“Cast your net on the other side of the boat, and you’ll find some,” said the stranger. So… they cast the net again to the other side. Now the net was so full they couldn’t haul it into the boat!

Recognizing the miracle that Jesus had done for them before, John said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!”

When Peter heard that, he grabbed his shirt and ‘threw himself’ into the Sea. This time Peter swam (instead of walking ON the water) and came to shore, just as the others arrived, dragging the full net behind.

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John 31:9-14

On the beach, they saw a charcoal fire in place with fish laid out on it and bread. He asked them to bring some of the fish “that THEY had caught” to add to His on the grill.

As the fish cooked, the disciples counted the large fish they’d caught – 153 – a HUGE catch! And yet the net had not torn. So much to think and be amazed about.

Finally Jesus told them to come and have breakfast. They came, staring at Him, knowing who it was, not daring to ask if it was true. As He took the bread and the fish and divided it among them, they saw the nail prints on his hands. Yes, it was Jesus!

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Can you imagine all their thoughts and memories as they ate? Jesus’ first call to be “fishers of men,” and to “follow” Him; Jesus telling them to “cast the nets on the other side of the boat;” Jesus breaking bread and passing it out with the fish, to both 5,000+ and 4,000+ people on the hillside. So much had happened since then!

At some point, Peter may have stopped chewing as he stared at the fire, remembering that other charcoal fire he had sat by that horrible night… and the awful words he had spoken there… and the rooster crowing to announce the dawn… and his denials of His Lord. And then Jesus bound and bruised, looking at him….

Yes, Jesus had spoken to Him privately (1 Cor. 15:4), and he’d confessed and been forgiven. But still the words rang in his ears. And… John had heard them! Had he told the others?

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Tomorrow, we’ll see Jesus gently walking Peter away from that awful scene in his mind.

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Reading the Gospels in 2026 (8/28): John 20:1-10.

Aug28

Read and Believe in Jesus

“Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark… John 20:1

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REVIEW – After Jesus had been confirmed dead by a Roman Centurion, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, two wealthy members of the Jewish Council (Sanhedrin) who were secretly seeking the Kingdom of God, came to Golgotha and took Jesus body away for burial.

Nicodemus brought a large amount of expensive spices and ointments, and perhaps the linen cloths. Joseph was supplying his own freshly hewn family tomb to lay Jesus’ body in. They were silent as they tightly wrapped the Messiah’s battered limbs and torso with the spice-laden linen strips, gently covering His face and head last in a separate cloth. Then they laid His body on one of the ledges.

When they finished, they rolled a large stone across the opening and went home. Sabbath silence descended on the tomb, the garden, the now empty Golgotha, and the Holy City.

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John 20:1-2

Early Sunday morning, as the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene came to the garden to do for Jesus’ body what Joseph and Nicodemus had already done. It was still dark, but Mary saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Seeing it already open that early was a shock.

Mark 16:1-4 adds this to the scene.

“When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to each other, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’ And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back. It was very large.

Mary Magdalene could think of nothing but to run to where she knew the disciples were hiding away.

When she saw Peter and John, she cried out, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him!”

Peter and John decided to go see for themselves, and Mary Magdalene returned slowly, her head bowed, her eyes filled with tears.

Meanwhile, according to Mark and Luke’s account, the other women approached the tomb and spoke to an angel(s), who told them Jesus had been resurrected and they were to go and tell the disciples. These two women ran off to do that.

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.John 20:3-10

Somehow the women bypassed Peter and John as they ran TOWARD the tomb.

John (remember that friendly competition between John and Peter!) says that HE ran faster than the older, bigger Peter and arrived at the tomb first. As Mary had told them, the stone HAD been rolled away, and so John stooped and peered inside.

Then came Peter, charging forth as he always did. Perhaps out of bravery, or perhaps because he just couldn’t stop quickly, he ran right past John into Jesus’ tomb. John then followed Peter. Together they saw the linen cloths lying there, collapsed, but still in the shape of a body, as if Jesus had risen straight up out of them. And the head cloth lay separately, not connected to the rest.

John says, “he believed.”

But what did John believe? His next line was, “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture that He MUST rise from the dead.”

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Could it be that John believed what his eyes saw at the moment (the empty grave clothes), but that he, as well as all of the disciples, had not yet comprehended the truth – that Jesus, as part of the salvation plan God put into place – HAD to be raised to life?

If Jesus had only died in the place of sinners, paying the debt of their sins like all the sacrifices, but had not risen … what hope would there be? The fact that God raised Jesus to life was proof that (first) HE accepted Jesus’ death as payment in full, and (second), He would then return to Heaven to be with His Father forever.

And (third), perhaps more importantly, God had PROMISED His Beloved Son that He would NOT abandon His soul to the grave, nor let His body see the corruption that happens there. Read Psalm 16:9-10.

John didn’t understand all that yet, but they all would later, after the Holy Spirit empowered them. Read Peter’s sermon opening in Acts 2:22-27

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After death, we who believe will also be resurrected, given new bodies, and spend eternity with Him in heaven! Jesus is the firstfruits. We are the whole harvested crop!